Are Guardian Conservatory Roofs Really Worth It?

Our Guardian Conservatory Roof was installed in April 2016, it's been over 9 months now...question is...are Guardian conservatory roofs really that warm and do they work/Are they worth it?
Supplied and fitted by: www.augustwindows.co.uk/
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[@romacarey9684]

This is our second summer with a Guardian roof. We love it. Cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The roof and lighting looks fabulous and I would definitely recommend as a cheaper alternative to an extension.

[@josephturiccki7736]

How does it fair in winter/summer compared to any other room in the house, is it just better, or is there now no discernible difference?

[@alitristan1933]

Your roof looks fab! We had a leka roof (suppose to be the best on the market) installed on our conservatory roof with 2 velux windows a few weeks ago, not cheap but well worth the investment, previously only a useable room half the year. When we purchased our house we knew we would need to replace the all glass current edwardian roof (having previously lived in a house with a conservatory so was aware of the issues with them). Came into it's own with the heat wave we have just had. Can't wait for winter now to see how it fares then. We have a wall on one side of our conservatory. The workmen came on time, worked their backsides off. We have 4 spotlights on the roof. So happy!

[@TonyG-iu4td]

Thank you for sharing. This helps me plan my new conservatory!

[@paulwilkinson4210]

Many thanks for the info, Chris!

[@jb-sz2kw]

Great review, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

[@colchestermotorglass2774]

this is very helpful Chris, much appreciated

[@GasheadSteve]

Love your channel mate, ticks my tech and odd men stuff hobbies. Gonna love vlogs in this sort of style. Keep the vids coming pal

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Gashead Steve Thank you

[@ARM1886]

Great vid, it answers so many questions for me. Might look into extensions rather than fixing the roof!

[@johnbourne4641]

Great video. Very informative/unbiased. Thanks

[@ShoukatAli-cz2jq]

Brilliant mate 👍 thanks for sharing this planning to have conservatory never had one before thanks for great tips👍👍😎😎

[@eileenreed1382]

Hi thank you for sharing your video, your conservatory looks beautiful inside and out.

[@siddramahmood237]

Really good review. Good job 👍

[@graemerobertson5160]

Thanks very much for the video. I think 13 degrees is pretty poor given the cost of a light weight roof. It can't compensate for the loss of heat through the windows, so it has helped decide that ours goes, and an extension takes its place.

[@Murney10]

I have a glass roof conservatory and it is like a sauna in the summer & a igloo in the winter,I have been researching roof conversions for a while & guardian warm roof seems to be the best option available

[@andrewhanlon7621]

very informative. I'm in the process of changing my conservatory roof. Had it 25 years now best room in the house. Unfortunately now its hotter in the summer 40 degrees plus makes it unusable and expensive to heat in the winter. Have decided to remove glass roof. Cheapest method have a roofer make a new light weight timber structure include velux windows, clad with ply and lightweight tiles. Plasterboard and insulate interior.

[@garydeverson2729]

Hi Chris very informative video, may I point out that you did the right thing, Building Regulations are always required on a solid roof, so are Cavity Trays required in most situations. Regards Gary

[@dmgladden]

Hi, Ive just done my conservatory roof using the 100mm (4") insulated steel sheets and really it was so easy and its so strong i have a span of 2.7m (9') with only end support and i can walk on it

[@milesprocter4876]

Hi Chris. I am not a fan of Guardian but great blog. I think it really shows the problems with the Guardian Product

[@TheKayakCrew]

Thanks for sharing this Chris, extremely informative and useful. 3 years on, are you still happy with the conservatory with the Guardian roof and have you had any problems with it or is it all ok?

[@3D_Creations_UK]

debating likewise upgrade to our glorified lean-to lol. usefull food for thought, half of the agro is in the RIGHT INSTALLER people.good upload mate.

[@OneTwoMe-hk3lb]

We had our conservatory roof fitted by the same company. 6 years later that company has gone bust(although started other businesses in the same field), we have water down the wall at certain parts of the year. Guardian sent out several people and one of them told us we'd need a whole new roof fitted at our cost.

[@samk2283]

Really helpful!

[@Freemouse159]

Great vid 👌

[@stupidusername38]

Hi Chris, what is the angle of the roof? We have a lean to style conservatory which has the same problems as you had. Ive been to a company today to discuss a Guardian style roof and they said that the Guardian can't be at too shallow of an angle, which due to living in a bungalow means that we need a roof that won't contact the soffits.

[@63boblondon]

where did you get your light fitting from,i love it

[@Mandika68xx]

Thanks for this info! Very useful. I have a polycarbonate roof on a 3x4m conservatory. I was getting quotes in the last 5 month for a blimming light structure replacement roof. The quotes from 6 to 13 thousand pounds. (Excluding the scammer who would have "done" it for 3 thousand, for an instant deposit of £600, which made me think.... :)) I paid a nearly £2000 deposit for a company and waited 2 months to get a surveyor out and told, "not safe". Luckily my depo was sent back. (3 weeks later) Now, I am absolutely not looking for any more options other than the DIY, leave the poly and insulate with timber, calotex and plastic cladding. I am planning to spend under 1K. Seriously, 13K for an aluminium roof which is insulated....(no windows). Fitting in one day. How much these people want to earn a day????

[@srikaza3400]

Hi, did you manage to complete the install? We are also planning to do the same for interim as we would rather spend on extension later. Good luck. Thanks

[@TheMar36tin]

Hello Andi, just came across your comment, did you do it in the end and how did it go

[@AllStarsOfComedy]

Just seen your post. Did you change sliding doors to bi-folds? If so did you increase opening to the full width of the room?

[@kyeandstevetatham1341]

Hi Chris. That was a really helpful video thanks. You spent quite a lot of time on the performance of the roof in winter; our problem is that we are south facing and in the summer the heat in the conservatory is astonishing ... in excess of 40 degrees at times. We want to use the conservatory as an all year round room - noting what you said about the winter I would really appreciate any further comments you may have on its utility in summer. In short ... is it broadly the same temperature as the rest of the house or is there still a marked difference between the house and the 'garden room'. Our salesman also said we could remove the doors and like you I was pretty sceptical about that. Thanks for posting a really helpful video.

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Kye and Steve TATHAM Hi, so we've had 2 summers now since the installation. Summer is much cooler than previous with polycarbonate. It can still get hot but the most I saw it was 28 degrees back in June and we just bought an air fan to help move air around. We have now actually taken off the doors to the lounge and I'd actually say it's better as the warmth of the house helps keep the conservatory a more equal temperature throughout so something to consider. I think I'll do an update video for the summer months :)

[@kyeandstevetatham1341]

thats really helpful - thanks so much Chris. An update would be really appreciated. We had the salesman come today and we are thinking about it quite hard. We had the insulation people a few months ago and I was utterly unconvinced by their products; the Guardian system seems a lot more professional and sensible. What amazes me that there appears to be no independent reviews anywhere online (except you!) of the system given the problems with conservatories. Thanks again - really really helpful video. regards Steve

[@legaleagle5505]

Re the question about building regs, I am having a guardian roof installed at the moment and want to pass on the information I have received from an independent building surveyor. I was advised by the salesman that building regs were not essential, however I chose to get them. There is some confusion between building regulations and planning permission. The latter is not needed unless you intend to take off separating doors, but essential if you intend to do so. Now having encountered issues during the installation and needing to seek advice, I am advised that building regs are essential for the Guardian warm roof. Without them, if you want to sell your house you will run into difficulty and will have to pay for an indemnity insurance to sell on, and not guaranteed to get an indemnity if any issues become apparent. In my situation, the issues encountered during the installation were not being acknowledged by the installer, therefore I am currently using the building control inspector to obtain a second professional opinion. Just as well, as there are major defects and building control are enforcing the installer to put things right.

[@stanrules123]

Hi Chris , that was a really useful video , thanks. What sort of cost range is it to have a conservatory which such a roof?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

stanrules123 Thanks, I don’t know about the conservatory cost by the roof was around £9k but I had to shop around a bit as quotes were quite varied.

[@carradona_2324]

Hi Chris, looks like they did a good job in the end! Thanks for this helpful review as we're looking at getting the same done. My wife and I love the light you got put in @6:55 in this clip... where did you get it from? Thanks

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Thanks, the light is by Searchlight - clover led rectangle. I can't recall where I bought it but just found it here for £202: www.leicesterelectricaldistributors.co.uk/searchlight-clover-led-chrome-rectangle-ceiling-light-7012cc

[@carradona_2324]

@@VanFamilyAdventures top man! thanks a lot

[@ponkachonka]

Very nice. Do you have single or double glazed windows ?

[@Mutley10000]

Hi, Why don't you put energy-efficient glass in rather than the blinds?

[@jamesbartlett6316]

Hi Chris Your roof looks great. Please could you confirm which type of roof tile you have. Guardian roofs appear to offer 2, one appears to be called a Metrotile Shingle, and another appears to be a composite. Our installer is only offering the Metrotile, saying the composite looks like plastic. We are looking for a tile that matches normal slate tiles on the rest of the house. Which do you have - as your video certainly shows them looking good Thanks James

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

James Bartlett Hi, thanks. It's the metrotile shingle, there's various different shades too to match even closer 👍

[@mattworman5180]

Hi Chris - great vid, just came across it now as we are looking to undertake a similar refurb project. I notice that you have since removed the connecting doors and wondered if this makes the adjoining room colder as the conservatory sucks the warm air out, or does it balance out? Also how did you get on with building regs by removing the internal doors? Our builder says it should be OK as the war roof compensates for overall energy loss. Thanks!

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Hey, so since removing the doors it just balanced the temp across the downstairs. We’ve since replaced the floor with laminate too. In the winter the hearing is on a fair bit as the glass is where most of the heat loss occurs. Still standing fine as the day it was installed.

[@dajaleg]

Hi, Great blog. What is the depth of the overhang over the gable end. Thanks

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

David Leggett If I recall it’s 30cm roughly.

[@craftspirited]

The million dollar question he did not talk about is the cost he paid. So all the fuss does not make any sense, unfortunately.

[@DRUMSTICKTOM]

How much was it for your size roof ?

[@naomicarson7432]

We had a new roof from Guardian warm roof (Worcester) in August, they’ve been awful to deal with and won’t get our building regs sorted. Very difficult to deal with. I’m just hoping we don’t have any problems with our roof because I don’t want to have to deal with them ever again

[@KayteeTX1]

Hey naomi, I know this is 2 years later but we've had a HUGE amount of trouble with them. Roof is too heavy for our frames and all sorts of problems with the fitters(the ones in this video) liquidating. Would like to hear what you had to go through if possible?

[@gordondouglas5343]

how much did your roof cost?

[@lozcb1]

Did the initial installer give you that black eye

[@diannathompson3307]

Chris, thank you so much for that review. Really down to earth and honest. I was wondering though, when you showed the day time temp as around 13 degrees in January, is that with the heating on continuously? e.g. in Winter is that about as warm as it gets in there?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Hi, thanks. Heating comes on twice a day in winter and can get up to 17 degrees, but if you light some candles, have dinner and spend time in the room it can hold temp. Now in spring it's around 14 at night and 23 in the day if it's sunny. Our glass is quite old, definitely noticeable temp difference compared to the new glass.

[@bambam-cm8we]

You should have had a LEKA roof....the exact same finish but ALL COMPOSITE MATERIALS, no sweating/condensation on aluminum bars, no wood at all to rot out, velux windows can be installed, they have done a nice job no dispute there but I have installed both and the LEKA is far superior. 👍

[@stupidusername38]

Hi there, i've been reading about the LEKA system. Aside from the reduced weight and better U value, how much cheaper is a LEKA compared to an aluminium and timber roof like the Guardian or Equinox?

[@graemerobertson5160]

13.7 Deg C is awful considering the cost of the roof and the fact you have heating in use. Thanks for sharing, glad we got an extension with bi fold door instead.!

[@robvarley9639]

Think you're comparing apples and oranges really. A full blown extension will clearly be warmer, but will cost substantially more and have significantly less glazing and light. A similar analogy would be saying "I'm glad I didn't extend and chose to save and buy a larger house". Remember, these systems are predominantly designed for retrofit (yes they can be installed new but not sure why you would do that). 13.7 Deg C is a bit chilly but without knowing the outside temperature and when the heating has been on it's difficult to gauge how effective it has been. I'd certainly like my conservatory to have an ambient temperature of 13.7 during winter! Ultimately, if you're building from scratch or have a large budget to demolish and rebuild, I'd get an extension. If you have an existing conservatory, it makes sense to halve or third your costs on a warm roof system.

[@graemerobertson5160]

@@robvarley9639 Our extension has bi fold doors and Velux roof lights! So it isn't dark!

[@robvarley9639]

@@graemerobertson5160 Didn't say it was dark, but by their nature (being significantly more glazed) a conservatory is/will be brighter. In my experience bi-folds are v. expensive albeit v. attractive features! As with all building work there is always a compromise - you can't have low cost, high quality and fast work. At most you will get two!

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

As per my previous comments. Since then we’ve opened it up by removing the patio doors so there’s more ambient air temperature throughout the downstairs. Re-floored the conservatory and replaced the old wooden frame windows. Ambient air temp right now is 19 in the conservatory & it’s 2 degrees outside. So given the cost of a full extension I’m happy with the investment & given we’ll likely move in a few years.

[@johnslack1004]

Hi, Just watched your video. We’re thinking of replacing our polycarbonate roof with a Guardian roof - how does your new roof affect the light in your back room. We are worried it will be too dark although we could always consider putting a couple of Velux windows in. Thanks.

[@stevesullivan4704]

My wife and I recently had lunch with some friends of ours in the height of summer in their conservatory which normally would have been sweltering hot. They had a company replace the polycarbonate sheets with 'Thermal comfort panels'. They worked splendidly! we were all nice and cool whilst we enjoyed the lovely cuisine they had prepared for us. Apparently these panels keep the heat out in the summer months and also keep the heat in during the winter. Its marvellous that there are cheaper alternatives that actually work well.

[@alexmihai6617]

How much did it cost you please?

[@tanglewood777]

i am geting a new conservetry with this type of roof would the glass in a new one be better than an older conservetry

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

ace crusader Yes, modern glass is much better these days.

[@Thatslife724]

So how much did you pay for the roof?

[@wobble108]

Thanks for this its been really helpful as i'm thinking of having one. what is the size of your conservatory?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

wobble108 Hi, it's 4x3m. Now that winter has passed its significantly better. Drops to 14 at night and 22 in the day, still going to install some thermal blinds & getting our main windows changed to double glazed upvc will help the whole house.

[@wobble108]

Hi Chris Noticed you have plastered the dwarf walls and the house wall im thinking of having this done too but worried about it cracking and the maintenance have you had any issues at all?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Yes, I actually did this when the original plastic roof was on, had some damp residue issues which was part of why we ended up going for the solid roof. Not had any issues since. Only had to touch up the edges after a year with decorators chaulk and the odd wipe down in the sill corners where the glass condenses but nothing compared to what we had to do.

[@delwalker2124]

Hi Chris Thanks for the video I've just converted my garage and had to link it to my house. I went for a dwarf wall lean to conservatory. My architect never mentioned any pitfalls that may arise from this.... Alas the building regs came and stipulated external doors and also said I can't have a rad in there. I'm miffed to say the least as my build is still in progress. I'm now considering my options re a warm roof. If I had known I'd encounter so many issues I would have opted for a full brick extension. If I go for the warm roof and keep doors in and make the rad "invisible"... would I encounter any issues upon coming to sell? Your experience is really helpful

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Derek Walker It’s difficult to say as we haven’t sold yet since doing the roof. The rad was already in there from new though and when we bought wasn’t picked up by a surveyor. I also know of people who have removed the internal/ external doors to make it a link through to a garage or other extension and never had any issues selling.

[@phillipdimech9461]

Chris, thank you for your video. After having the new roof in for over 2 years, would you still recommend it?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Phillip Dimech Yes, but would’ve put Velux windows in as well.

[@phillipdimech9461]

@@VanFamilyAdventuresThank you for the reply, you mentioned you wish you had put in Velux WIndows. Is that due to lack of light or ability to let out heat in Summer?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Phillip Dimech Just for a bit more light in the lounge. In the summer it’s perfect temperature wise & in the winter (Unless it’s really cold outside) it’s still very comfortable. Most of the heat loss now is due to all the old glass. We’ve since knocked through the wall between the kitchen & lounge to allow more light in from the front.

[@dinndianne6801]

Very informative thank you. Where is your light fitting from please? Its perfect for your room.

[@real_wakawaka]

looks like amazon!

[@robvarley9639]

Very interesting and informative video! Although 13.7 deg is a bit chilly, with nominal heating and as a retrofit system that looks pretty good to be fair! Would be good to know how you're getting on with the roof, whether you use the room more than you would have (particularly in Winter/Summer) and how quickly it heats up when you do turn the heating on?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Since the video we removed the patio doors and it’s much more ambient temperature and used 365 days of the year as our dining room. We’ve redone the floor to laminate wood and on average it’s 16-19 degrees with minimal heating. Most it is lost through the glass now (noticeable since we’ve replaced all the windows recently).

[@robvarley9639]

@@VanFamilyAdventures Thanks Chris. We will be going down the same route I think (including laminate to replace the tiles). Good to hear a success story before putting down the cash!

[@kuldipjudge8517]

@@VanFamilyAdventures May I ask what the overal costs were in the end? I have the exact same conservatory so need to balance out cost vs extension???

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

@@kuldipjudge8517 About £10k but that was 6yrs ago. Materials costs alone will be a lot more now.

[@kuldipjudge8517]

@@VanFamilyAdventures Cheers Chris. Food for thought. Great and insightful video BTW. 👍

[@joycekyere3042]

Hi thank you for this review, I’m planning to install one and would like to know how much you spent in total

[@ultraframe]

www.ultraframe-conservatories.co.uk/conservatory-products/conservatory-design/conservatory-roofs

[@francescarubera6176]

iam interested in same thing ,would like you know how much you spent in total, could you just answear it, it would be helpfull...

[@benson2613]

My Guardian Roof leaks badly due to fundamental errors and cutting corners. The installer went out of business and it is proving almost impossible to get someone to repair it short of complete replacement. Several Guardian installers have declined to even quote on it. General roofers don't want to work on these system builds. BEWARE!

[@KayteeTX1]

Hey Benson, I know this is 5 years later but would like to hear your story on this if possible? We're going through huge issues with them and like yourself they refuse to talk to us.

[@DARRENJOHNHARRIS1]

Cost of your roof would definitely be helpful to anybody thinking about having this done.

[@chris12carp]

£9000 it's mentioned in one of the comments below

[@mcallister8893]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 9k thats a joke surely

[@DARRENJOHNHARRIS1]

I have looked into the costing on a roof like this 9k to 12k to build, two days to fit and only about 2k in materials greedy fuckers come to mind

[@andycampsall3832]

@@DARRENJOHNHARRIS1 my mate is goin to do our roof and I’m helping him he’s only charging me £1600 no that’s with quality materials. £9000 my arse 😡

[@vinparaffin6082]

@@andycampsall3832 .........have you done the roof yet, was it easy(ish), did it come out on budget?

[@janetrickards6921]

Why not say how much it costs

[@geoffwalmsley3066]

We were thinking of doing this,but knew if we sold the house we would never add the value,surprised to hear you say it would add value,there is no way you would get anywhere near your investment back,Yes itwould help with the sale but These roofs can add 10% to your house Cost,no way will you achieve that return if you ever sell, couldn't believe the qoutes we were given on a wrap around conservatory were more than the Cost of the conservatory. %

[@bcracing103]

I've been installing Guardian roofs for just over 6 years and just to let you know that the first layer of insolation is not installed correctly. The first layer of 40mm celotex must be installed flush with the bottom of the alloy bars to allow a 40mm air gap for ventilation that your roof now no longer has.

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Thanks but if you look at the clip at 6:28 you'll see the 40mm insulation was adjusted to be flush with the bottom of the alloy bars as you say to allow ventilation, then the batons, remaining insulation and plasterboard added.

[@bcracing103]

That's good because that can void your warranty 👍

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

@@bcracing103 So far we've had no issues internally and has opened up the space greatly. The only negative (which was down to the installers) is the finishing on the Apex which has opened up a gap under the eaves - a relatively easy fix with some strong adhesive.

[@amandadavies9350]

I am worried re the roof making the kitchen and conservatory dark.

[@daveyatkins5548]

So much light is reflected in off the ceiling (painted white) it doesn't make a huge difference. Also, led spot lights fitted are so cheap to run you can have those on along with veluxes for around £500 each

[@djupton3856]

Building regs would have been required had you taken the patio doors out, but you may have a problem with the original construction, and that is the eaves beam, there is a thing called the unsupported length, in your case with a polycarbonate roof this would be max span of 2 meters approx., this is when you have to install a loadbearing window coupler, it looks like you have none so have relied on the windows for support, and windows are not load bearing, the new roof although you have a timber ring beam I bet they too should be supported. Did this not need building regs anyway has a conservatory is classed has 70% glass roof ?

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

dj upton Thanks. There are x5 beams joining along the apex of the roof. The roof has building regs.

[@grumpygit447]

You loose massive amount of heat out the windows still

[@davidmiller7771]

I had to remove one from a conservatory ,to heavy for the frames , , side and front windows bowed out , lots of mould on the underside of the external OSB board ,coming away from the wall . plaster badly cracked , no leave well alone , in 40 years in the double glazing industry , to many of these so called light weight roofs are to heavy for the frames , best advice , knock it down ,star again , put on a proper roof , it will be cheaper in the long run ,i

[@Bobby8270]

Hi Chris. Can u give me a ball park figure. I’m bidding on a house and would like to factor in price of a roof. Thanks.

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

£10 - £15k I imagine now

[@Bobby8270]

@@VanFamilyAdventures Thanks.

[@gelbsucht947]

You didn’t say what it cost, which would have been interesting.

[@VanFamilyAdventures]

Gelbsucht Given we had quotes ranging between £7k and £25k depending on supplier, manufacturer and extras so it’s all variable. The question I’m answering is whether they are worth it in terms of replacing an existing plastic roof.